The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-07-28
Bill Nye and Jay Gould.
THE HUMORIsT TALKS TO THE RICH PHI
LANTIIROPIST

| -AASo 't'y NOulo uIlli Cdlleu upon oil
yesterday to renew the acquaintance an
discuss the happy past, Ten years
patient toll and earnest endeayor on m
part, ten years of philanthropy on his hay
filed away in the grim and greedy pas
Both OF us have changed IN that time
though Jay has changed more than | have
Perhaps that is because ne has bee
thrown more in contact with change tina
| have.
Still, had changed a good deal in thos
years, for when | called at Irvington yes
terday MI. Gould did not remember me
Neither did the watchful but overestj
mated dog in the front yard. Mr.. Goul
lives in comfort in cherry home, sur
rounded by hired help and barbed wir
fence.
By wearing ready made clothes, instea,
OF having his clothing made especially TO
himself, he has been enabled to amass
good many millions of dollars with which
he is enabled to buy things.
Carefully concealing the fact that haC
any business relations with the press. ]
gave my card to one person who does
chores for Mr.. Gould. and, apologizing fol-
not having dropped in before, took seat
in spare room to wait for the great rail-
road magnate.
Mr.. Gould entered the room with a low.
steady tread, and looked me over in a
cursory way, and yet with the air of a
connoisseur.
II believe that [ have never had the
pleasure of meeting you before. sir,'' said
the great railroad sWallower and amateur
philanthropisG, with tinge of railroad
irony.
es, sir, we met some ten years ago.
said l, lightly running my fingers over the
keys of tie piano in order to show him
that | was accustomed to the sight of a
piano. Il was then working in the roll.
ing-mill at Laramie City, Wy T., and YOU
came to visit the mill, which was then
operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
Company. You do not remember me
because have purchased different pair
OF trousers since L saw you, and the cane
which l wear this season changes nv
whole appearance also. / remember YOU,
however, very much. "
We'll, if we grant all that, Mr.. Nye.
Will you excuse me for asking you to what
l am indebted for this caIl?''
"Well, Mr.. Gould, F" said I, rising to nv
full height and putting my soft hat On the
brow of the Venus de Milo, after which I
seated myself opposite him in a degage
Western way, you are indebted to me for
this call. That s what you re indebted to-
But we will let that pass. We are not
here to talk about Indebtedness, Jay. If
you are busy you needn't return this call
till next winter. But | am here lust to
in quiet way. as between man
and man. To talk oyer the past, to ask
you how your conduct is, and to inquire if
can do you any good in any way what
eFef- Ihis S no time to speak pieces and
ask in grammatical way, to what you are
indebted for this CALL My main object in
coming up here was to take you by the
hand and ask you how your memory is this
spring? Judging from what l could hear
| was led to believe that it was a little in
cllned to be sluggish and atrorhied DAYS
and to keep you awake at nights. Is that
so, Jay?"
mo, sir; that is not So. -
Very we'll; then l have been misled by
The reports in the papers, and l am glad it
is all mistake. Now. one thing more
before go. Did it ever occur to YOU that
while you and your family are all out in
your yacht together some day a sudden
'quall, quick lurch of the lee scuppers, a
: tremulous movement of the main brace.
shudder of the spring boom, might occur
Ind all be over?''
es, sir. [ have thought of it, and of
course such thing might happen at any
lime; but you forget that while we are
'ut on the broad and boundless ocean we
'njoy ourselves. We are free. PEOPLE
With morbid curiosity cannot come and
all on US. We cannot get the daily news.
'apers, ana we do not have to meet low,
'uigar people who pay their debts and
'erspre."
'Of course that is one view to take of
t; but that is only selfish view. Sup
losing that you have made no provision
or the future in case Of accident. Would
not be well for you to name some one
utslde OF your own family to take up this |
reat burden which is now weighing YOU |
oWn-this money which you say yourself |
1ade a slave of you-and lock out for it? |
lave you ever considered this matter |
erlously and settled this matter upon a |
God man who would be willing to water
our stock Tor you, and so conduct YOUR
HAIRS that nobody would get any benefit |
rom your Accommodations, and in every |
ray carry out the policy which you have |
laugurated? If you have not thoroughly |
onsldered this matter [ wish you would |
0 SO at an early date. l have in NV
llnd's eye just such man as you need.
lis shoulders are well fitted for burden |
this kind, and he would pick it up |
heerfully at any time you see fit to lay it |
own. l will give you his address,
"Thank you," said Mr.. Gould, as the
thermometer in the next room suddenly
roze up and burst with loud report
And now, if you will excuse me from off
citing my time, which is worth $500 a |
minute. against yours, which l Judge to |
'e worth about 81 per week, l will bid YOU
,ood morning"
He then held the door open for me, and
shortly after that l came away. There
we're three reasons why did not remain.
out the principal reason was that did not
hink he wanted me to d o so.
And so l came away and left him.
There was little else l could say after
hat.
It's not the first time that Western
nan has been treated with consideration
n his own section onlyssto be frowned up
IN and frozen when he meets the same man
n New York.
Mr.. Gould is below the medium height. !
md is likely to remain so through life
His countenance wears crafty express
'ion, and yet he allowed himself to be
4 pril-fooled by a genial little party from
Boston, who sailed the central branch of